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Self-Promotion / 7 Stories
« on: Dec 01, 2013, 06:27 pm »
Just got named SM for Acadia Theatre Company's winter production of 7 Stories by Morris Panych. So excited!
News:
14 Jan 2021: Happy 21st birthday, SMNetwork! I replaced the old broken mobile theme. -K
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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Student Stage Manager Challenge #19: Labor of Love
« on: Aug 12, 2013, 08:30 am »
I would go to the show's producer/PM. If you're about to head into the first day of Tech, then most of the director's job should already be done by now - the blocking notes you've taken throughout rehearsal should be (if you took them right) sufficient enough to work through Tech with. The big issue about teching without a director is that she won't get to see the LX, FX and SX in show-time action, and wouldn't be able to approve them.
Depending on how tech-heavy the show is or how much the director hadn't seen of the lighting/sound/sets, seeing if opening can be post-poned due to her medical emergency might also have to be an option. Or the first 2 shows could be clearly re-defined as "preview" shows, and once the director gets back she can make changes as she wishes. That would be something to discuss with the PM/Producer as well as box office.
Depending on how tech-heavy the show is or how much the director hadn't seen of the lighting/sound/sets, seeing if opening can be post-poned due to her medical emergency might also have to be an option. Or the first 2 shows could be clearly re-defined as "preview" shows, and once the director gets back she can make changes as she wishes. That would be something to discuss with the PM/Producer as well as box office.
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Employment / Re: What (not?) to wear
« on: Aug 08, 2013, 12:37 pm »
I agree that wearing certain dresses/skirts with leggings is like wearing pants - Im young and my style kinda screams artsy, with fun punky hair, and all black clothing. I dont actually own many colorful pieces. I tend to wear black leggings with sturdy military boots and a long sweater/dress... all in black. If it's an interview I might add a black blazer and my "nice" purse instead of my back pack. I've had positive comments on my clothing because it immediately lets the employer see my personality and style.
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Tools of the Trade / Re: Office Phone and Cell Phone in One
« on: Aug 02, 2013, 08:49 am »
I have one of these
http://www.amazon.com/GLD-MM01H-B-1-Black-Handset/dp/B003DKL4JA
Not the same thing, but I do like to have it when Im at my desk at home/at a tech table, because its easier to tuck onto my shoulder than my iPhone is - its also great for being able to check schedules/e-mails on my phone while Im having a conversation with someone without having to put them on speaker phone.
Not gonna lie, I get mocked quite a bit for it at first, but once people see this baby in action, they agree its kinda great
http://www.amazon.com/GLD-MM01H-B-1-Black-Handset/dp/B003DKL4JA
Not the same thing, but I do like to have it when Im at my desk at home/at a tech table, because its easier to tuck onto my shoulder than my iPhone is - its also great for being able to check schedules/e-mails on my phone while Im having a conversation with someone without having to put them on speaker phone.
Not gonna lie, I get mocked quite a bit for it at first, but once people see this baby in action, they agree its kinda great
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The Green Room / Re: Director in Booth!
« on: Aug 02, 2013, 08:45 am »
At our school, the booth remains locked at all time and only those with key-card access can open the door - and if someone lets a person WITHOUT key-card access in, there's gonna be hell to pay. This includes directors. If you can't let yourself in, I can't either. I love this rule, as it gives me a very solid reason to say "no", but I don't believe I'd be willing to let any director into my personal space during a show, anywhere - that personal space is precious, hectic, and sometimes potentially dangerous (I've been known to tap my pencil so quickly while Im calling that it goes flying, I stand up during difficult calling sequences and my chair rolls back, etc...)
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The Green Room / Re: VENT: The trouble with spouses, pets and couches
« on: Jul 23, 2013, 08:14 am »
I completely agree - this job isn't easy to be supportive of 24|7, but sometimes they're just perfect at it.
My boyfriend is really good at the "she's getting home from a long day, and is going to rant about the things that went wrong, get super excited about the things that went right, and I just need to let her go". Having pizza on the table helps too, as well as usually a Disney movie:) (he makes coffee too. I'm set!)
We do part of the year long-distance for HIS job, but we're kind of getting sick of that and trying to figure out if my going to grad school would be worth the potential time apart...
It takes a certain type of person to BE a stage manager, and there are also certain qualities you need to be with a stage manager, IMO.
My boyfriend is really good at the "she's getting home from a long day, and is going to rant about the things that went wrong, get super excited about the things that went right, and I just need to let her go". Having pizza on the table helps too, as well as usually a Disney movie:) (he makes coffee too. I'm set!)
We do part of the year long-distance for HIS job, but we're kind of getting sick of that and trying to figure out if my going to grad school would be worth the potential time apart...
It takes a certain type of person to BE a stage manager, and there are also certain qualities you need to be with a stage manager, IMO.
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Stage Management: Plays & Musicals / Re: CALLING: Calling Spot Light Cues
« on: Jul 17, 2013, 02:20 pm »
Im currently working as a Spot Op on a Equity musical (gotta pay the bills, right?) and the calling goes like this :
During tech week, each Op got a sheet with all the cues written out, nice and detailed, with the cue number as well as with "LX GO" it went with.
For the opening night run, just to refresh us a bit, we'd get such calls as "Standby for Spot Cue 34 on Frankie" and we would generally remember, and peek at our sheet, before getting in position.
After opening night and all through the run, we've now only been receiving the cue-number and have pretty much memorized all 70 of our cues.
Its a good system, I like it, and I will probably use it if I SM a show and the lighting designer agrees to it.
During tech week, each Op got a sheet with all the cues written out, nice and detailed, with the cue number as well as with "LX GO" it went with.
For the opening night run, just to refresh us a bit, we'd get such calls as "Standby for Spot Cue 34 on Frankie" and we would generally remember, and peek at our sheet, before getting in position.
After opening night and all through the run, we've now only been receiving the cue-number and have pretty much memorized all 70 of our cues.
Its a good system, I like it, and I will probably use it if I SM a show and the lighting designer agrees to it.
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The Green Room / Re: Best one-liner from a performance report
« on: Jul 16, 2013, 02:44 pm »
One of our student-run productions started including "Best techie lines of the night" in the show reports... My personal favorite
"Guys... I can literally hear you SALIVATING."
"Guys... I can literally hear you SALIVATING."
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Tools of the Trade / Re: Keeping Spike tape down...
« on: Jul 16, 2013, 09:22 am »
I've worked with an SM who covered all of her spikes with clear hockey tape... seemed to hold up pretty well!
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Introductions / Re: From PEI to Manhattan - smalltown girl with a cue bible
« on: Jul 11, 2013, 10:37 am »
Thanks!! And yeah, its kind of a curse. The locals are to the point where it "pays the bills" to have all the Anne stuff around, and it's great for theatre employees actually. But don't get me started about how often I've seen all those shows!
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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Invaluable Advice
« on: Jul 11, 2013, 08:51 am »
One of the best pieces of advice I have ever received is : Think. Do. Breathe.
Always think things through, especially when it comes to matters of safety.
Don't just sit there when you know you have something to do. Get up and do it, because more things are bound to need your attention during the time-slot you had to do other things.
Don't forget to breathe. People who buy tickets to shows are human, and know that you are human. Sometimes a lighting cue might not always be timed perfectly, and sometimes the actors going to drop the prop, and sometimes a line or two. There is nothing more real than theatre, as made-up as it is
Also, have fun. If we don't love doing this... why are we here?
Always think things through, especially when it comes to matters of safety.
Don't just sit there when you know you have something to do. Get up and do it, because more things are bound to need your attention during the time-slot you had to do other things.
Don't forget to breathe. People who buy tickets to shows are human, and know that you are human. Sometimes a lighting cue might not always be timed perfectly, and sometimes the actors going to drop the prop, and sometimes a line or two. There is nothing more real than theatre, as made-up as it is
Also, have fun. If we don't love doing this... why are we here?
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Students and Novice Stage Managers / Re: Working with parents of young actors or people you know
« on: Jul 11, 2013, 08:46 am »
I work in children's theatre a LOT, and in community theatre, where the parents always seem to either want nothing to do with the show or they want far too much personal involvement. If I were you I would just tell her "Look, it's out of my hands, the director has blocked that child for the curtain call and every single person in the show should be on the same page. The child will have to stay" and if she insists (especially when it isn't her child) just repeat that it is out of your hands and that stage management is busy with more pressing matters. I know it sucks to worry about offending someone but truly, this is your job and your job requires an amount of respect. Without pushing other people around, you can't let yourself get pushed around.
Good luck!
Good luck!
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Introductions / From PEI to Manhattan - smalltown girl with a cue bible
« on: Jul 10, 2013, 02:49 pm »
Hello!
My name is Robyn, and I'm from an extremely small French farm-town on PEI. I know what you're thinking... Canada, eh? Do you apologize when you call cues or tell people what to do? Well the answer to that question is no. I love stage management so much, and I'm studying Theatre in university right now. I want this more than I have ever wanted anything, ever. I've received a lot of positive feedback from my profs, past TD's and directors, as well as the parents of children who have been in many of the shows I've SM-ed. I've also had the chance to work under some amazing stage managers and directors, and can't wait to broaden my horizons and my mind.
From this little red-dirt island, I hope to someday stage manage for Broadway, on a much more interesting island. Musical Theatre is my passion, and one of my biggest dream jobs would be Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella.
I can't wait to start learning from all of you, and thank you for being out here in the internet world for those of us who love to immerse ourselves in what we do.
And with that.... Lx 1... go!
My name is Robyn, and I'm from an extremely small French farm-town on PEI. I know what you're thinking... Canada, eh? Do you apologize when you call cues or tell people what to do? Well the answer to that question is no. I love stage management so much, and I'm studying Theatre in university right now. I want this more than I have ever wanted anything, ever. I've received a lot of positive feedback from my profs, past TD's and directors, as well as the parents of children who have been in many of the shows I've SM-ed. I've also had the chance to work under some amazing stage managers and directors, and can't wait to broaden my horizons and my mind.
From this little red-dirt island, I hope to someday stage manage for Broadway, on a much more interesting island. Musical Theatre is my passion, and one of my biggest dream jobs would be Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella.
I can't wait to start learning from all of you, and thank you for being out here in the internet world for those of us who love to immerse ourselves in what we do.
And with that.... Lx 1... go!
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